Chapter 118
Will it really work?
While I was waiting, seized by doubt, Niyan lightly placed his hand—light leaking out from it—against one of Okhee’s wings and began to move his lips. No sound came out at all; only his mouth moved. Okhee stared intently as if listening carefully to what he was saying, then soon nodded his head. Oh. Does nodding mean he’s giving permission?
Just as I was waiting for an explanation, Niyan slightly turned his body and conveyed Okhee’s intention.
“He says he’ll do it. Please wait a moment.”
“Yes.”
Thump, thump.
If that cute face starts speaking human language, how adorable would that be? And what about the voice?
If he calls me “Lady Aileen” or “Lady Cowet,” wouldn’t I just melt? I’ll have to rub my cheeks all over him. Overwhelmed with anticipation, I was loading up an intense reaction. Raymond, sitting beside me, was also shooting a gaze filled with eager expectation.
An even brighter light than before poured out from Niyan’s hand and swirled around Okhee. Then the light that had been scattering around seeped into Okhee’s body as if being absorbed. As though receiving magical energy, he closed his eyes and waited, then after a moment snapped them open. His amber eyes sparkled as if holding gemstones, and his beak twitched.
We stared so hard at his beak, waiting to see when he would speak, that it might have burned a hole through it. And finally, Okhee’s beak slowly opened.
“Change my name.”
That was the first thing Okhee said.
But more than the content, what startled us even more was his voice. It was thick and husky—something far removed from anything one would call cute.
“Th-the voice is set weirdly!”
Thinking this must be Niyan’s fault, I immediately protested to him. But Niyan merely shrugged as if he had done nothing wrong.
“I didn’t set it. He chose it himself.”
“That’s right. I chose it.”
“…Really?”
Faced with this unbelievable reality, Raymond and I could only blink wide-eyed.
The voice is strange, and he’s even speaking informally?!
Hmm. Does hierarchy mean nothing between animals and humans? Still, if Raymond raised and trained Okhee, then he’s the owner, so shouldn’t he use honorifics? Or maybe not. Maybe yes, maybe no.
Feeling confused, I decided to try continuing the conversation for now.
“Okhee, you chose that voice?”
“That’s right.”
“Then why do you want to change your name? You don’t like it?”
“I’m male, and yet my name is like this.”
“Huh?”
Okhee was male?
Startled, I looked at Raymond. He showed no surprise at this fact. That meant he had known from the beginning that he was male. It seemed obvious, but I decided to confirm it anyway.
“Raymond, did you know he was male?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why did you name him Elizabeth?”
“Because the name is pretty.”
“….”
Our Raymond. He’s subtly eccentric and steadfast.
Leaving that newly learned fact behind, I turned my gaze back to Okhee.
“I didn’t know you were male.”
“Now that you do, change my name.”
“What should I change it to?”
“Hmm.”
Okhee lowered his head halfway as if thinking, then tapped the floor with his foot. He had always struck various poses, but now that I could hear him speak, why did that movement look especially delinquent?
“Hmm. If I want to look cool and stylish, it’d be better to include the word ‘dragon,’ right? Since I’m an owl, how about Midragon?”
“Midragon….”
I was once again surprised by his very K-country-like naming sense, but it was only right to respect his wishes.
“If you like it, Okhee….”
“Midragon.”
“Alright. Midragon, if you like it, I’ll call you that.”
“Good.”
Midragon nodded several times as if satisfied. But thinking about it, there was one more thing I needed to clarify.
“But Midragon. Why are you speaking informally?”
“You’re speaking informally too.”
“Ah….”
Was it really that simple of a logic?
Just like me, Raymond probably had never been spoken to so bluntly except by his parents. Even Kyle had used semi-honorific speech out of respect for status.
Honestly, I couldn’t tell whether that logic made sense or not.
While shock and confusion took over my mind, Niyan alone was clutching his stomach and snickering beside us.
What is this? Isn’t all of this Niyan’s trickery?
As that suspicion rose, Raymond asked Midragon a question.
“Is there anything else you want besides that?”
“No, there isn’t.”
He suddenly replied in a polite tone and manner.
He uses honorifics with Raymond? Ah, so it’s just with me.
While I felt relieved, my mood somehow soured.
“That’s enough, so turn him back right now.”
“Keheh. Alright.”
Barely stopping his laughter, Niyan repeated the same motion as before. Then the light that had seeped into Okhee flowed back out and was sucked into his hand.
“Ow-ow.”
Having lost human speech, Okhee returned to being a cute owl.
At the same time, my heart also regained its peace.
Then what had just happened felt like a dream. Of course, from now on, I’d have to call him Midragon instead of Okhee.
After leaving the conference hall, I walked down the corridor with Niyan. Raymond had gone off to handle work at Melas’s request. Perhaps the afterglow of Okhee speaking human language hadn’t faded yet, because Niyan was still giggling.
“This is really fun.”
“It’s not fun at all.”
With a thoroughly delighted expression, he teased me. I glared at him with a face full of dissatisfaction.
My cute Okhee turned into a delinquent owl, and you’re laughing?
“What’s the problem? They say Midragon is like an emperor among birds. If you think about it that way, isn’t that high status?”
“They say so? Hmm. Is that… so.”
“Kekekeke. You’re actually believing that too.”
“Ah, stop teasing me.”
I swung my arm and smacked Niyan’s back about three times. Niyan yelped and groaned, then wiped away tears—whether from pain or laughter, I couldn’t tell—and asked me,
“Is there another animal you’re curious about?”
“Not anymore. Ah….”
One more being came to mind, but I shut my mouth tight.
“Actually, never mind.”
“Ah, come on, try it. You’re curious. Who is it?”
Should I or shouldn’t I…? Human curiosity is truly terrifying.
Just moments ago I was so disappointed, saying I shouldn’t have done it, yet here I was again reaching toward Pandora’s box. But as always, nothing can defeat curiosity.
“A horse. Hades and Poseidon.”
“Ah-ha! Them. That’ll be fun. Let’s go right now.”
Niyan grabbed my arm and pulled me along.
On a night when the moon shone as brilliantly as the sun,
Raymond and I took a walk together in the imperial palace garden. A cool breeze blew from time to time, but my heart was warm. We were walking with both hands tightly clasped so that no one could pull us apart.
The imperial garden that I used to look down upon from the terrace whenever I had dessert time with Kyle. I had dreamed of walking here with Raymond, and that dream had finally come true today.
My status changed from the fiancée of the deposed emperor to the fiancée of the current emperor.
If you look only at the facts, it’s shocking enough to wonder how such a thing could even happen. But as I was revered as a saint because of my healing powers, I was naturally able to cleanse my image. And thus Raymond, who took not only the throne but also the woman, was also praised as a wise ruler. It was truly fortunate.
“The garden here is really beautiful, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“Every time I saw it, I wanted to walk here with you, Raymond.”
“…”
When no answer came, I turned my head and saw him looking down at me silently. In his fixed gaze, heat and warmth coexisted, shining down like sunlight. His grip on our joined hands tightened.
“Aileen.”
“Yes?”
“I endured and waited for a long time.”
“…”
“Every time I sent you here alone, it felt like my heart was being gouged with a knife.”
“Ah.”
Right. Raymond knew that I was coming to see Kyle.
I tried desperately to hide it because I didn’t want him to know if possible, but thinking about it, there was no way he wouldn’t have known.
“Each time, it was hard to suppress the urge to kill.”
“Excuse me? Kill who?”
When I asked innocently, Raymond grinned at me. It was a strange expression where only the corners of his lips rose while his eyes did not smile. At that moment, the moonlight emerging from the clouds reflected in his blue eyes, making them gleam. For some reason, a chill ran down my spine.
Raymond Ruslo is a villain in the original novel [I Tamed the Mad Emperor]. So why does that line suddenly come to mind now?
My body trembled slightly with fear, and only then did he soften his eyes.
“Of course, Kyle.”
“Right?”
I subtly turned my gaze away so he wouldn’t notice that I had been nervous for no reason. Then I felt a large hand placed on top of my head. It was a firm gesture that allowed no escape.
“You are mine, so don’t even think about running anywhere, alright?”
“Y-yes. Understood.”
Are they really characters from a dark 19+ novel? Each and every one of them is so adept at threats. Yet unlike the rebellious feelings inside me, I bowed my head politely as if swearing loyalty.
I transmigrated into a novel where the villain was my favorite, struggled to save him from the tyrant emperor who was the male lead, and in the end succeeded in saving him. And I became his. The villain became my beloved, and at this moment, I am the happiest person in the world.
I loved Raymond’s black hair like a black hole and his blue eyes resembling the sea. I liked his tall height and broad shoulders, and even the charisma with which he commanded the battlefield. But more than anything, what I loved most was the deep smile he gave while looking at me.
“Aileen.”
See? That killer smile he makes while calling my name.
We looked at each other and smiled as if forever.
By the way, since we pushed aside the original protagonists and ended up becoming emperor and empress, does that mean I’m the protagonist now? Hehe. From now on, I’m the protagonist of a 19+ novel!
